~*~ Part 1 ~*~
Wesley sped down the highway, hoping that he could persuade Buffy to help. Even though the calls they'd placed before had gone unanswered, he had to believe that the threat of Angelus would be enough. The further away from LA he drove, the better he felt about his decision. His doubts, Cordelia's incessant harping, faded away, and he knew that he was doing what had to be done.
Angelus paced the confines of the cage. He stretched, bending his leg at the knee, then snapping it out in a precise and deadly kick. A wicked smile graced his beautiful face. Dark chocolate eyes surveyed every inch that surrounded him, not only the cage that held him hostage, but the stairs exactly six feet away, leading to a door, and freedom, in addition to the second exit fifteen feet to his left, heading to the sewers below the city.
The Scourge of Europe stalked like the predator he was, a natural grace exhibited in every move. Where Angel tried to blend in and hide his differences, Angelus reveled in them. The doubts, angst, and cloud of somberness that followed Angel like a shroud couldn't touch Angelus, he wouldn't allow it. He lay locked away subdued, forced to submit to the degradations his so-called friends forced on Angel. The thought of his souled counterpart trying to behave as if they were human was laughable. They were once the most feared being in all Europe, but most of all, no matter what his souled half might desire, they were, and always would be, a vampire to their very core. Oh, he knew about the reward the Powers or someone offered Angel for good behavior - Shanshu. The demon was smarter than that, he wasn't deceived by the lies they told Soul Boy, the lies he so readily believed. No, he recognized the truth, and if he got his way; they would all pay for what they had done to him, to them.
Buffy walked down the deserted street wondering what the hell just happened. She knew the others didn't trust her the same way they used to, but she never saw this coming. The scene kept playing over and over in her mind, and she couldn't stop seeing the look in Dawn's eyes when she told her to leave her house.
Ever since coming back, she had felt a step out of time with everyone else. It was like she could perceive something no one else could, and regardless of what she did or said, they wouldn't believe her. It took her awhile to understand it herself, which led to her spiral downward and the affair with Spike. But, she pulled herself up and out, no thanks to her friends, in fact it was during the entire Darth Willow episode that the largest pieces started falling into place. Bit by bit, the pieces kept fitting together until she could clearly see her enemy and recognize what she was fighting. She even knew how to fight them, but no one would listen to her. Buffy understood that was the First's plan - beneath you it devours.
Her head came up when bright lights hit her in the face. She raised a hand to shield her eyes, wondering who could be coming to the deserted town at this hour. A shudder ran down her spine; somehow she already knew what this concerned. She denied it, even to herself, the pulling at her soul, the deep tear that told her that Angel was gone and Angelus was free again. It happened when she was fighting Caleb, she had lost her bearings, and she knew that she needed to fight, to get the others out, but her body froze. She was pulled in two different directions, and people got hurt or killed because of it.
Buffy knew better than to bring up her ex-lover, he was a sore subject with the Scoobies. It only used to be Xander, who would grouch about Angel, now Giles, Willow, even Dawn, never missed a chance to express their disapproval. They blamed Angel for her death, Adam's rise to Power, Dracula's bite, hell, the price of gas if they thought about it. The golden haired Slayer shook her head to bring her back to the issue at hand.
The car slowed to stop beside her and she peered in at the driver. She recognized the man behind the wheel. It was Wesley, though a very different one than the one she had known. To say the changes in Wesley Wyndham-Pryce didn't surprise her would be an understatement. The stubble on his cheeks, dark clothing aside, one expected a person's taste in clothes to change over the years; no the eyes told the tale. His blue eyes showed the trials, the journey and the final exit to the other side, which created the man behind the wheel. This Wesley had confronted his fears and won. The battles fought took their toll, removing the blinders from his eyes, leaving him somewhat jaded, but battle-ready.
"I need your help." He didn't beg or plead, just opened the car door, and waited for her answer.
The statement settled in the air between the former Watcher and Slayer. She looked back towards the ones who abandoned her; hazel eyes returned to stare at the one she rejected years ago. The decision came in a flash. It didn't matter what or why, it only mattered that she understood that this was it, where her path was leading her all along. Without the others harping on their doubts, anger and needs, she could listen to her own inner voice. Buffy opened the back door and threw in her bag before climbing into the passenger seat.
"Drive, you can explain why Angelus decided it was time for another visit, on the way." She got comfortable, leaned her head back, closed her eyed and with a deep sigh prepared herself to listen.
Wesley took off leaving, long tire tracks as the only clue of the direction the Slayer had gone. He couldn't stop himself from glancing over at the woman who had replaced the teenager previously under his care. The bloom of childhood had melted away, leaving behind a beautiful woman that the cut on her cheek and the weariness marring her brow couldn't detract from.
"You can start with the talking part anytime."
He explained everything that had happened, working his way backwards, from losing Angel's soul, his part in Connor's kidnapping, Connor's birth and conception, his arrival in LA, his joining AI, and what he knew of the year preceding his arrival. The car remained quiet for the rest of the drive; he couldn't tell if Buffy was sleeping, sulking, or angry. Her face showed no emotion, other than an occasional fluttering of her lashes.
She was all of the above, but not for the reasons that one might think. The puzzle that she had tried to fit together for herself suddenly got bigger. She stepped back to realize that someone or something was playing with them - her and Angel. There were too many coincidences, too many convenient big bads, all the same flavor, and at the same time. No wonder Angel never showed up when they left messages for him. That was another thing that had always bugged her. How come she never got to talk to him? She knew Angel had to be around when she called during the day. Every time she got up enough nerve, or the Hellmouth was ready to bubble over, she had swallowed her pride and called, and every time she got the machine or - Cordelia.
Closing her eyes, Buffy watched their lives fold together then fan out like a deck of cards. She saw the day that Angel took back. She had returned from the grave holding that knowledge in her heart, and much more, it had only needed the right trigger to unlock Pandora's Box. Funny how life turns things inside out. Who knew Angelus would ever be that key, or key for anything in her life? She tried to control the anger rushing forward, but too late the car stopped. Angelus was about to feel the full fury of a mature woman/Slayer. If he expected to play with a wide-eyed naïve little girl, he was in for a rude awakening.
Wesley started to talk, stopping when his passenger shook her blonde head. Large hazel eyes inspected him, he wondered if this time, like the last, he would be found wanting.
"Do you trust me?"
"Buffy, there isn't time for this. The situation is dire. It is only a matter of time before Angelus finds a way out." He started to open the door.
A small hand held him in place. "There is only time for this. Do you trust me? Yes, or no?"
"Yes." The simple answer filled the space between them.
"Good, remember that when we're in there, no matter what you see or hear. Wesley, you are going to have to hold onto what you know about me, Buffy, not Slayers or Watchers, or even Angel. I don't have time to explain, so either stand beside me until this is done, or stay here, out of my way."
Without a word, the former Watcher quietly opened the car door, slid out, and waited for her on the sidewalk. Buffy joined him, mentally squaring her shoulders. Glancing down, she smiled to see that she wore her red leather pants. When she grabbed her clothes before leaving, she had changed into them to give herself a boost, along with a tiny black tee that had 'Bite Me' emblazoned in red across the front. Buffy wasn't certain why she saved this outfit, but it fit her mood, and her purposes.
Closing her eyes, taking a deep breath, and allowing her body to relax, Buffy walked into the Hyperion like she owned the place. Slender hips rolled with a predatory grace, letting everyone see that here lay danger wrapped in a pretty package.
"Wow," Connor said, staring at the woman in the doorway. He didn't know they came like that.
Gunn turned to see what had the boy drooling, and found himself not doing much better. He straightened up, going for a cool street fighter look when he saw Wesley joining the petite blonde. Fred couldn't decide where to look or what question to ask. Cordelia had no such problem.
"What the hell are you doing here? Wesley, please don't tell me that you phoned her. We so don't need Buffy Summers' help. All she does is cause Angel pain. You can just turn around and go right back to good ole Sunnyhell where you belong." The bleached blonde seer crossed her arms over her ample chest, waiting for Buffy to crumble under the full impact of her disapproval.
Buffy sauntered by, causing the men's heads to turn as they followed the sway of those slender, leather encased hips. An Angelus-like smirk graced full pink lips, which opened to feign a yawn. "Oh, so you've found Angel's soul?" Hazel eyes pinned them down, holding them in place, unable to move.
Fred stammered out, "N-n-no."
"Angelus told you how to fight the Rocky Horror Picture Show? Who its master is? Why it's here? Anything useful at all?" They shook their heads in unison, unable to speak between the rocket fire questions. "Didn't think so. Now get out of my way."
Cordelia grabbed Buffy's arm, applying pressure with her enhanced demon strength, such as it was. A delicate blonde brow rose, while hazel eyes darkened to a stormy gray. "If you want to keep your paw, pull it back, or you'll be drawing back a stub." The threat came out soft and low. No one overheard it but the two women and Connor. He moved to help Cordelia, stopping at Buffy's next words. "Down sugar, don't make mommy spank." Hearing her words caused the other's faces fell into masks of confusion. "What's it going to be, Cordy?"
"He won't talk to you, Buffy. Angel doesn't want you in his life, and neither will Angelus." She yanked her hand away in a huff. Not wanting to lose face, Cordelia called out to Buffy's retreating back. "He's moved on, Buffy. Angel's moved on."
The blonde Slayer didn't miss the hurt in Conner's large blue eyes. "Keep telling yourself that CC, I'm sure it will help you sleep at night." Without ever having been there, Buffy walked directly to the basement door, and disappeared.
Lorne cleared his throat. "Can I just say, hubba hubba, with a whole pan of Meow." His red eyes were glued to the closed-circuit television screen watching the drama unfold downstairs. He dared to wave off Cordelia, who was drawing in a deep breath to expound on the badness that always would be one Buffy Summers, aka, the Slayer, aka, the love of Angel's life.
Angelus' perfectly sculpted nose rose into the air, his nostrils flared as the most tantalizing scent wafted its way down the steps directly to him. It embraced him like a welcome home after being gone too long. A smile changed his face from handsome to a thing of beauty, something to which bards would dedicate poems and songs to and they had, right before he drank them dry, discarding their husks on the fruit of their labors. Tit for tat, their labors for his, true poetry, the very picture of irony, a masterpiece worthy of a Master - vampire.
Before he could speak, Buffy attacked; not with fist, feet, or steel. She withdrew a finely honed blade, one that earned its edge after seven years of battle. "Hello, lover," she grinned when the vampire actually pouted. "Sorry to steal your line, lover; well, you know what, I'm not. That line needs to be stolen, it needs to be ditched." Come on, Angelus; play with me. "I figured it out, because you can't remember who you're screwing, you just call them all lover. Doesn't say much for your memory does it, Pops? Must be hell getting old, and CRS setting in. Can vampires get Alzheimer's?" Buffy gave him the once over like she was searching for grey in his dark locks.
Angelus snapped. The idea that this, this harridan in a Buffy-suit would even question his manhood told him more than enough about this world's wrongness. "What's the matter, Buff, someone take a swat at you and miss the sweet spot?" His dark eyes drank in the changes in her. He admired the sleek, toned body, delicate cheekbones no longer hidden by the last vestiges of childhood and the fire in her eyes. Oh, yes, this was a woman, a worthy adversary and mate, not like that diva upstairs that everyone kowtowed to because ooh she got visions.
Buffy leaned against a bench, watching the gorgeous animal alive in her ex-lover's skin. Say what you will, Angelus was a feast for the eyes. He knew his body was gorgeous and used it like a weapon. Too bad Angel refused to wear leather pants, those long legs and high tight butt surrounded by black leather was the perfect yum. Back to business, bad Buffy.
Someone, and he was betting weasely Wesley went for his girl. Now, he needed to understand what was happening in her world and compare it to his. "Who played McBad the Slime Vamp and took a bite out of you, Buff?"
A bubble of laughter almost escaped at the picture that brought to mind. "Does it matter? Why'd you do it, Angelus? Why'd you give it all away, our life, our child, everything, for what?" The question hit him like a ton of bricks.
He snarled at her, slamming his hands against the bars. "Don't come in here crying to me about that damned day. I've lived with soul-boy lamenting about that until I was ready to pull my fangs out. Why are you blaming me? I didn't turn back the day. Hell, I wouldn't have left you, let alone the bed for days." His voice dropped to an intimate whisper as lust illuminated chocolate colored eyes.
"Oh, really, thought I needed to learn a lot about pleasing a man. Sure want to thank you for that one, lover," sarcasm dripped from her lips. She moved closer, her hands wandered up to cup her breasts, while she looked up at him through her lashes.
Angelus watched her, captivated by the woman who passed from tiger to sex kitten in the blink of an eye. "You know I didn't mean it." His hand stretched through the bars to glide up her arm, then on toward her neck, until he cradled her head. "Let me show you." Their lips met through the bars, each reaching for something only the other could give.
The AI team observed wide-eyed and slack jawed. Angelus taunted them with closely kept secrets, belittled each and every weakness and magnified each flaw. The once close group barely spoke to each other, except for Cordelia and Connor. The two together was almost enough to reunite the rest of the team. No one understood what was going on between the strange couple, and the supposed father and son triangle.
Cordelia couldn't believe Buffy's nerve. Angel would get his soul back, and remember that she - Cordelia Chase, was the one who took care of him all these years. Connor wasn't happy with her, in fact he threatened to tell everyone, Buffy included, that they were secretly seeing each other and were more than just friends.
"Ooh, look, he's kissing her," Fred's eyes held a dreamy glow. "He never kissed you like that Cordy. That is like Kyrumption and Moira, oh my gosh, that's.." A high-pitched squeal emitted from the willowy brunette.
"Fred, what's your damage? I thought you said that Angel and I have Kyrumption. She waltzes in to suck face with Angel's evil twin, and they're what? Meant to be?"
"K'lisraqdin," Lorne sighed, ignoring the others as he saw a legend unfold.
"I knew it. It is, it really is." Fred did a weird little dance, before racing back over to Lorne's side. "Do you think they know?"
The former Pylean, and current servant to the Powers shivered. "Heaven help us all if they don't."
Buffy didn't allow Angelus to have the upper hand, or lip as the case may be. They dueled for dominance, retreating, and chasing each other's tongues, sweeping in to taste the treasure hidden within. Her small body lay against the bars, aligned with the large one striving to reach her. Nimble fingers plucked at the dress shirt buttons that hid the alabaster skin from touch and sight. She pushed the offending article away from the target. Her eyes closed, her tongue dueled with his, small hands crept up the washboard stomach to the pectorals that had fascinated her even at sixteen. Thumbs and forefingers came together to pull on the small, penny-sized, male nipples.
Angelus groaned deep in his throat. At that moment, he was close to nirvana, he needed a bed and to get rid of these damn bars. Buffy swiped her tongue across a fang, offering it up. He latched on, sucking softly, milking the treat until no more blood flowed.
"Do you want me?" Hazel eyes leveled him with a glance that told him it was not the time to bluff.
"Yes."
"Enough to live with Angel if I promise that you'll be there too?"
Cordelia started running for the door, with Connor trying to stop her. He wasn't sure who this woman was or what she was doing, but his gut told him to trust her.
Wesley stood in front of the basement door. "You're not part of whatever is going on down there, Cordelia, and I'm not going to allow you to interrupt."
"Allow me, allow me?" Cordelia's hands immediately went to her hips. "Just who do you think that you are, Wesley? Move out of my way before I show you what Angel taught me."
He didn't move an inch, leaning back on the door in a relaxed stance. "Cordelia, my dear, don't you ever get tired of your own posturing? I know that I do. The one thing I didn't miss in my time away from AI was you incessant demands for everyone to jump when you barked. Do be a good girl and run along." Wesley waved a hand at her like he was fanning a fly.
"Do you want to stay here with me?" Buffy whispered against his neck, before biting his earlobe hard enough to draw blood.
She sucked the tender flesh into her mouth. His eyes rolled up, his lids grew heavy and his cock got harder, straining to be free from confinement. Amber eyes blazed brightly when he heard metal scrapping. A soft smile created an angelic mask, one which had been crafted by the devil himself. Buffy withdrew to open the cage door. She stood there watching him, the same vampire who had made her life a living hell.
Torn between wanting to beat the crap out of him, and tearing his clothes off before screwing him to death, err deader, whatever, and not necessarily in that order. Okay Buffy, enough, time to straighten this crap out.
"Answer the question." She waited in the only available exit.
"Of course I want you, look at me," he snarled, thrusting his hips forward, exhibiting the evidence.
"Not just my body and blood - me." Buffy's fist thumped against her chest. This was it the showdown. The power struggle between two stubborn, proud and dominant people. Who would win - one, both, or none?
Angelus knew what happened with Angel and his crew. The question was did he care - nope. No, he didn't care about them, except Connor; the boy was family whether he desired it or not.
"What's different, Buff? Why should I trust you to let me out of here? You know I'm not going to toe the line. I don't play that game, not even for you, lover."
He slowly moved closer to Buffy and the open door, the two things he wanted most. Long elegant fingers stroked down a strong slender arm. They searched out each muscle, bone and tendon, learning it through touch sensory, memorizing it. Hazel eyes that had once sparkled with life and laughter were filled with a fire that pulled him in, whether to warm or burn him was his decision, the opportunity she offered him. He tried to grab her and move them out the cage door. She mentally rolled her eyes, knowing the Master vampire required a big showdown before getting down to business. Her hands shot straight out into his chest, propelling him across the close quarters into the wall.
Waving a finger at him, she taunted, "Naughty boy, I'm going to have to show you it's not nice to piss," she hauled him up from the ground, "me," throwing him out the open gate and walked out after him, "off."
Angelus sprang up to a ready stance, but Buffy didn't fight like he remembered. She had four years of fighting cyborgs, hell gods, demons, army squads, and Spike under her belt. She jumped straight at him, twisting her body mid-flight to strike his legs, which buckled taking him to the cold cement floor.
"You want to fight dirty, lass," the brogue rich in his voice, and the light of battle clear behind his eyes. Large hands clutched her when he rolled, pulling her along for the ride.
"Is there another way to win?" She chuckled, flipping herself up to stand on her feet.
He promptly swept her feet out from under her. "Nope." She smiled, the first real one she'd given him since she arrived. "There she is, there's my girl. I knew you were hiding her somewhere."
The tiny blonde cracked her neck without answering the blustering vampire stalking her with blood dripping from a cut above his eye. He complained about scars spoiling his looks.
"Ya big baby," she groused. "It's hardly a scratch."
"Scratch! Scratch, she says. I think I need stitches. I hope they won't scar. I don't want one like, Spike, too tacky."
He never missed a step when she threw a punch at his head or her him when he tried to turn the tables on her and lock her inside the cage. When it was all said and done, they were none the worse for wear, so to speak. Now, they were ready to sit down, and as he grumbled, gum to death their problems. The two exhausted fighters leaned against each other breathing heavily, although for one it was all show. Buffy shoved Angelus' head off her shoulder, turning around to face him. She couldn't resist pushing the normally immaculate hair a little more out of place. They shared a conspiratorial smile, knowing they were enjoying poking fun at Angel, each in their own way.
"How did you know what was going on, and Angel didn't?" She had an idea, but wanted him to explain it.
"I've always known what was happening. The only time he listened to me and did what needed doing when they abandoned him," he growled, thumbing a finger at the TV screen. They kept their voices low so they couldn't be overheard by the ones upstairs who were no doubt watching their every move.
"Did you understand it was the only way to get him back?"
Buffy found herself playing with Angelus' fingers while they spoke. The entire day, night, whatever, was so existential already, why not? She felt comfortable, and safe, lying here next to the vampire half of her lover. She liked how he told you what he thought, he didn't lie, because the truth was so much more fun. He was proud of who and what he was, and she found herself for the first time that she could recall in exactly the same position. She was 'the Slayer', not Faith or those wannabes, not Wonder Wicca Willow, or her sidekick Scrappy-doo Xander, not even Dawn, the one with her blood running through her veins. Nope, her, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the original, the one girl given the strength, and damn it no one was taking it away from her.
"That, and I wanted to fuck," the words rolled off his tongue like a sinful treat. Angelus leaned down to lick the shell of her ear. "I wanted to slam my hard cock into a warm, wet pussy. Have it grab me, pull me in, wrap around me and milk me dry." He teased her ear with soft puffs, licks or nips interchangeably. "While we banged away at Darla, the memories returned. The way you felt, both times, you filled our minds, while she tried to steal his soul. It was only right that evil's tool be used for our purposes. Angel was too busy with his epiphany to see 'his' return, but I did. I always see what's happening. How or why someone's able to keep Angel from seeing is beyond me." The entire time he talked, his hands walked their way down her torso to the top of those red leather pants.
Buffy found herself pulled underneath an amorous vampire. The proof lay hard and long against her stomach. Closing her eyes, she relished the feel of him between her legs, his weight pressing down on her. She would never forget how Angel's body had felt. Her hands skimmed over his thighs, squeezing the taught muscles beneath. She knew they had badness coming at them from every direction and there wasn't time for this. She also knew she was a Slayer, not a saint. A part of her belonged to this creature as much as it did to Angel. Angel never could understand that in his black and white world. He saw her as a creature of light, not understanding the darkness inside every Slayer. Angelus understood, he just wanted to throw away the light and have her live in the dark with him.
Talented fingers dove into the pants, finding the Slayer's hidden treasures. Buffy flipped them over, her hands pulled the dress shirt off. Leaning down, she whispered in his ear, "Is there only one camera?" Angelus nodded, nipping at her ear. "Which do you desire more, me or getting out of here?" She pulled out a stake from some hidden place on her body.
He eyed her warily. "You, I can escape any time I please, my beautiful Slayer, but you willing in my arms is an offer not to be passed up."
"Not a great answer. Truthful, though. You're many things, Angelus, a liar isn't one of them. I like that - duck." A strong arm shot out.
Screams and shouts echoed throughout the Hyperion, followed by breaking glass. Lorne smacked the small black and white TV, when it dawned on him what happened.
"Well, damn, that's no fun. It was just getting to the good part," he pouted.
Large hands came up to cup full perky breasts. Buffy arched her back, enjoying the way those hands perfectly fit her body. The small tee suddenly disappeared joining a much larger shirt. She leaned forward to entrap his mouth again, savoring the taste and texture. She kissed him hungrily, aggressively, taking control of his mouth. They moaned in unison, a deep hunger started to build.
Angelus stood in single liquid move, carrying her with him. He bore her to the wall, pressing her body against the hard surface. Grinding his lower body into hers, he took her hands, holding them high above her head before bending down to capture a golden breast in his mouth, gently dragging a fang around a pert nipple. A gasp of pleasure escaped her lips. She pressed him closer to her overheated body when she felt the passion pool low in her body. Her legs came up of their own accord to wrap around his body, latching on never wanting to let him go. Her hips started moving and her back arched to press against him harder.
"Want to feel you inside me," she whimpered, as her head rolled back and forth against the wall.
He stepped back, allowing her legs to fall to the ground. He kissed his way down her torso, although unable to resist an occasional nip, which he happily licked or sucked away any blood that arose. He stripped away the remaining clothes before she could even blink. Not a passive lover by any means, Buffy slid a small hand into his pants rolling the head between the tips of her fingers. She withdrew them, placing them in her mouth to suck the pre-cum off, while she watched Angelus watching her. His clothes did the magic disappearing trick too.
Standing there in all their naked glory, they allowed themselves the pleasure of just taking in each other's beauty. Hands moved of their own violation, skimming over peaks and valleys, brushing bulges, relearning what was never forgotten, but memories faded became dreamlike, and the need to assure that this was reality had to be satisfied. They came together like the clashing titans that they were. He picked the tiny golden Slayer up once more, pressing her back against the wall, bending his legs, and in a single move he sheathed himself inside her waiting heat. She sank her fingers into his hair, her legs went back around his waist, seating him further inside her. They moved together, rushing towards that peak, their fight had warmed them up, getting their passions racing. Her inner walls clamped around him, holding and releasing him with each journey of her body.
Strong muscles tensed pushing into the small body held on the wall simply by the pressure applied by their shared bodies. Dark chocolate eyes became hooded at the extreme pleasure racing through his body. Despite himself, Angelus fell for the woman wrapped around him, he tried to hate her, hate her for what she stood for, the woman always shown through despite what she was, even when she was still more child than woman. Watching her in the throws of passion, knowing that he was the one causing her heart to race, her body to clench and flood around him, allowed him to know the closest thing a demon like himself could know about love. He loved her with every emotion available to him, passion, anger, possession, jealousy, dominance, and many more. They weren't tender romantic feelings, but they were feelings just the same.
He quickened his pace, slamming his powerful body into hers, and she welcomed it, uncaring that the rough wall scraped her back. They were close, ready to fall over the edge, each wanting it, each needing it, needing to let the other know that they considered this a pact, a mark in the sand, which could never be undone. Gracefully flipping a slender neck, long golden hair exposed the thick vein where her pulse throbbed with live-giving blood, Slayer blood. Hazel eyes soft with passion caught and held dark brown ones slightly tinged with amber. Angelus couldn't believe what she was offering him that she trusted him, truly trusted him and would bond herself to him willingly in this way.
His beautiful face slowly changed into that of his demon, moving slowly, giving her, every opportunity to change her mind, he bent his head, and carefully slid his fangs into the fragile neck, fitting them over the bite given all those years ago. Closing his eyes as the liquid nirvana slipped down his throat, it tasted of power, pure power. Buffy wasn't the first Slayer that Angelus had ever tasted, but none had ever tasted like this before. Unable to think any longer, their bodies took over for them throwing them over the precipice, he carefully removed his fangs before sinking to the floor and carrying her with him.
Buffy lay cradled on Angelus' lap, her ear pressed to his still heart. "Do you know about the crazy bat lady where lost things end up?"
The question though garbled made some strange sense to him. "Dinza, yeah, I know her. She's crazier than a loon. What about her?"
She drew intricate circles on his chest, while she thought things over in her mind. "If I wanted to hide something, and keep it where Angel's Fang Gang couldn't get to it, I'd give it to someone in charge of lost things, someone who would keep it in a place where they couldn't go. She fits the bill in my book."
He crooked his neck to look at the tiny woman sprawled comfortably on top of him. Her body was still rosy from their lovemaking, and she was talking about the location of Soul Boy's soul. Grabbing her hair and pulling her head back so that she had to stare into his amber lit eyes, he asked in a quiet voice. "Was that what this was about? You fucked me so I'll help you get him back?" His fangs flashed as spoke.
"Rein it back, big boy; I don't need to fuck anyone to go after Angel's soul. I can go see Ditzoid myself. I've been trying to get you to understand that I need both of you. Angel never could get that, I was hoping that you were smarter than him. Guess I was wrong."
She started to stand up; he stopped her by wrapping his arms around her, searching for a hidden agenda, and couldn't find one. She had told the truth. He couldn't allow his face to reveal it, the idea that this glorious creature could need him, Angelus, as much as she wanted Angel sent pleasure rushing through his body.
"Explain to me how this could work."
She gave him a brilliant smile and a resounding smack on the lips. "You understand about the Slayer spirit, right?" Angelus nodded, waiting for her to continue. "Well, I got a chance to get up close and personal with it, not only it, but the head honchos that stuffed the genie in the bottle. They tried a whole repeat performance." A roar rumbled up when he heard that. She rubbed his chest to comfort him, letting him know that she was okay. "It didn't take me over like they wanted, I stopped it before that happened. Some did get in when I screamed, and it kinda shook things up." Buffy stood up ignoring her nudity. She shook her hands out at her side like they tingled after falling asleep.
He drank in the picture before him. She was like tawny mountain lion, sleek muscles playing under golden skin, blond hair flying back as she stalked the cage's confines, her eyes sparkling with the heat of passion spent and battles yet to be fought. Yes, he thought, this was a woman worthy of him, and worth fighting for.
She raked a hand through the long golden hair, brushing it away from her face. Frustration clearly written on her face, she struggled with the words to explain what she felt and somehow knew. "The Slayer's power is based in darkness, but the soul is based in light. A Slayer is taught to always put others first and never take a human life. Don't you see, Angelus, we are exactly the same. I had to learn to accept the Slayer part, my darkness, to be a whole person. If you and Angel do the same thing, you both win, you both get to be here with me."
Thinking through what she said, he saw the one major flaw - Angel. "Soul Boy won't go for it."
She gave him a sultry smile, walking back over to him with a cat that ate the canary look on her face. "How do you think he'll feel when he learns the truth? Everything? How we've been played to keep us apart, even you were used when they had you kill Jenny. It goes back that far Angelus, all the way back to the beginning. I wasn't meant to return. Up there you see everything, your life, the lives of everyone you know, and the truth, only the truth, when they brought me back, I brought that truth back with me." Tears streamed down her face, the pain she felt remembering everything again tore at her heart.
Angelus' gathered her into his arms. "Shush, it'll be okay. What do you want me to do?" Picking her up, he sat back down on the floor, rocking her until the tears stopped. He licked them off her face, savoring their taste, before capturing her lips in a searing kiss.
Once she caught her breath and got her emotions back under control, Buffy continued. "I want it back, Angelus, everything they took, and more. The Powers could've stepped in, but they only help if it looks like they'd lose both of us. As long as one of us kept kicking, they left us to drown. Once Connor was born, they didn't watch over us anymore. They thought he was all they needed for the End of Days. They didn't see Sahjhan, Lilah, or Holtz coming, even when Wesley tried to figure out what to do and asked for help, they sat on their asses. The Powers wanted Connor to end up in Quor-Toth, he would be stronger, older and ready for the final battle. You see the bad guys, no offense, honey, are winning. The Powers screwed up and don't know how to fix it. That's why they allowed Willow to tear me out of Heaven."
He absentmindedly played with her hair while he listened to her. "How do you plan to stop them? I mean I can take out the Beast, but he's just a pawn. Can you believe that's the best they could come up with for a name?" Angelus rolled his eyes.
"Come on, like the Master or the Judge was soo much better. Frankly, I like my way - Punch Mouth, Big Blue, Rocky Horror." She shrugged. "If you give the bad guys a big important name they might think they're tough stuff. I'm ready to blow this joint; what about you, lover?"
She let the last word roll off her tongue before jumping up, grabbing her clothes and laughing at Angelus' face when he recalled her comments about his nickname. The chase was on; he swept his clothes up in one hand, while grabbing for her with the other. She pulled her shirt over her head, one leg slipped into the red leather pants as she hopped, trying to wiggle into them, while heading for the sewer exit.
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